


Apple Blossom

by SeasonalTea



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: But can be read stand alone, Companion to "Cattail", F/M, If you want extra feelings though read Cattail first heheh, Reupload of another old work, Supernatural - Freeform, fem reader - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-03
Updated: 2019-06-03
Packaged: 2020-04-07 00:46:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19074061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeasonalTea/pseuds/SeasonalTea
Summary: Just like the white fruit flower, all it took was a single gust of wind to scatter you away from him forever.





	Apple Blossom

**Author's Note:**

> Reminder this is a companion to [[Cattail]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19037335/chapters/45215782)! This can be read on its own, but the full effect is as if this is treated as the OVA extra to the original season run lol
> 
> [OLD NOTES]  
> I was expecting it to only be about a 4.5k oneshot, but after I wrote the first portion it definitely looked to be around 6k AND THEN WELL...it ended up as nearly 8.5k and I have no excuse. First Bleeding Heart Doves for Oikawa and now this I actually feel kind of bad. 
> 
> Before we start, a refresher of [[Kenma]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BtdkgzKCcAEwFfG.png:large) [[plus brunet ver.]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BzvlYR1CcAAhZua.png:large), [[Kuroo]](https://i.gyazo.com/bed677469bf4fe6f3210449820c813d3.png), and [[another Nekoma member]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BzvlLWZCMAEOfjT.png:large) joins the cast!
> 
> *Ane-ue (姉上) is a more formal and archaic way of referring to one's older sister.
> 
> *The kanji for dog (犬) can also be read "ken", hence why Kenma (even though this one uses a different kanji) isn't a very cat-like name.

               _When she stared at them with obvious fear in her eyes, he ignored the slight wrenching in his gut.  It was natural for her to fear them; it was how things should have been.  He could not understand why his childhood companion wanted to challenge that order.  Did his friend not know what sort of tragedy that begot?  They had witnessed and experienced it before for themselves._

                _Yet, when she turned to him with a grateful smile that shone with nothing but sincerity, he was happy.  It reminded him of a time long since gone.  A time he missed with his entire heart.  The truth remained, however, that monsters that were born to take human lives could not save them and he knew that better than anyone else._

                _He should have._

* * *

               High-pitched chirps from the lingering summer cicadas vibrated in the afternoon air.  The barely autumn sun hung in the last third of its daily arc and cast comfortable warmth in contrast to the late day breeze that gradually grew chillier.  The thick grasses curved with the push and pull of the wind as they danced to the whistle of the moving air.  Lined in neat rows and columns among the lush underfoot greens, well-grown trees and shrubs rose out of the ground and spread their spindly branches over the lawn.  Deep green leaves that shone with a distinct sharpness under the sunlight sprouted upon and decorated the light umber arms.  Alone, in pairs, or even in larger groups, dusty globes of mixed reds, greens, and yellows hung from the wooden limbs.  With a particular wind cutting in the right direction, one of the ripening fruits dislodged from the tree and dropped to land amidst the dusty dirt.

               Under the shade of a propped open thatch window, russet irises traced the scenery with a bored sort of attention.  The breeze played with the young boy's spiked-back sienna locks as his chin rested upon folded arms, his pale navy kimono sleeves serving as cushioning.  Rows and columns of the fruit orchard spread out before the child, but the possible charms of stationary nature was lost on the small male.  Time sluggishly crept by as the world seemed to be asleep during the lazy afternoon.  The haze of rest had started to tempt the boy as well and his eyes drooped under their own weight when the unnatural echo of polished wood smacking against rough bark rang out from within the orchards.  Brightening into full lucidity at the abrupt sound, his once sleepy gaze was now sharp and soon noticed the flutter of brown cotton amongst the dusty clusters of treetop leaves.  Blinking a couple of times to focus his vision, the child slowly traced the figure he saw perched among the branches of one of the larger apple trees.

               "Ane-ue, there's a cat-person outside!" he cried out over his shoulder and towards the interior of the house.

               From the centre room where an iron pot hung over an unlit open fire was partially visible through the doorway, you peeked out from around the wall.

               "A cat-person?  Are you sure, Sou?" you hummed dubiously from under the unpolished wooden doorframe.

               "I mean it, Ane-ue!  He's up in the tree over there!  There!  You see the dark brown thing?" Practically hopping in his seat, your little brother excitedly pointed an unhelpful finger at the outside scenery.

               "All right, all right.  Which tree is it?" you humoured the boy and prodded him for better guidance.  When he counted off the exact row and column of the plant in question, you squinted slightly as you searched its foliage.  It took a few seconds, but the vague shape of a body in brown clothes eventually caught your attention as it moved around the higher branches.  A dark and slim tail definitely extended out from under their robes and you let out an awed sigh.

               "Huh, I guess you were ri-hey!  Are they taking some of our apples?  They're stealing our apples!" You turned to your little brother with a shocked expression, but the young child only blinked at you quizzically. “Sou, stay here!  I have to take care of this!"

               "Huh?  Uh, but, o-okay!" the boy yelped slightly as you ran for the door without a moment's hesitation.

               Moving swiftly, you only hesitated to check over your shoulder and make sure that your little brother did not follow before you exited to the outside.  When you glanced at your home, you could see Sou's spiky locks peeking out from below the window frame as he crouched below the opening.  Using the window as a reference point, you tracked down the tree harbouring the wild fruit thief.  Once you were within a couple metres of the right trunk, you could clearly make out a slim body resting among the branches.  A sleek, umber tail waved leisurely in the air as it dangled from the thief's seat.  Steeling your nerves, you took a deep breath.

               "Hey!  Cat-person up there!  You can't just take our fruit!" you shouted as confidently as you could.  Perhaps you were a little too forceful as the entity above let out a choked shout before you heard a frantic rustling amongst the leaves.  In the next few seconds, a body came tumbling out of the foliage and landed on the ground with a pained gasp.  You flinched at the sudden drop and even felt a small spike of guilt when they groaned within the dust cloud they had kicked up.

               "H-Huh...?  Er, um, a-are you okay?  I didn't mean to, uh, scare you like that..." you called out uncertainly to the upside down body before you.  The unfortunate cat-person had managed to land on their shoulders and upper back while their legs curled over and their head was almost between their own legs.  It was a sight almost painful to simply bear witness to.  You noticed a crimson pattern similar to veins spreading across one of their legs, but quickly averted your attention as the markings crawled into indecent areas.

               "Hrrngh..." the entity groaned as they toppled over and out of their fallen position.  As they sat up and started to sort their self out, your gaze zeroed in on a pair of dark brown fluffs atop their head.  There were two small, rounded triangles that looked temptingly soft to the touch and flicked about on occasion.

               Cat ears.  They even had a pair of seemingly functional cat ears, you realised.

               Your previous irritation began to melt away as you soaked in the appearance of the being before you.  Smooth locks that were the same umber hue as their feline ears brushed against their cheeks and fell near chin-length.  Amber irises and the slim face of an older boy, yet not quite a young man, peeked out from under the curtain of hair.  A little frazzled it seemed, the boy's gaze flicked around before he made momentary eye contact with you and immediately backed away.  There was not much distance to travel, however, as his back hit the sturdy trunk of the apple tree he just fell out of.

               "Ah, um, I'm not going to hurt you," you tried to placate the entity as you shuffled forward the slightest bit.

               "You can see me?" His voice was soft, but not in a way that made it difficult to hear him.  Rather, it was more like it was rarely used.

               You let out a quiet sigh and slowly approached the male with a calm smile. “I really didn't mean to scare you or anything, but you were kind of stealing our fruit and we need to sell as many of them as we can." Once in front of him, you crouched as much as your plain komon kimono would allow and offered a hand.  The brunet stiffened at the help and switched his gaze between your smile and hand a few times before slowly accepting.

               When his slim fingers touched your palm, you did not even flinch at the cold contrast of his skin.

               "There we go," you lilted as you pulled the male to his feet.  For his build—or rather, lack thereof—he was taller than you expected.

               "Ah, um, thanks..." He mumbled in return and quickly took back his hand from your grasp. “And sorry.  About the fruit." The entity opened his mouth, seemingly to say more, but quickly snapped it close.  He fidgeted in place as if he was not sure whether to leave or stay.  His ochre eyes still refused to meet yours for more than a fraction of a second, though.

               "Have you... never met people who can see?" you asked after a moment of watching his awkward shuffle.  He seemed surprised about the fact before, so you figured he might have wanted to ask more concerning it. “I'm guessing you haven't since you were so shocked earlier.  Well, the thing is, my whole family can see spirits and the like!  Certain creatures can signal the health of the land and that's why we know just where and how to grow such good fruit and-!" you explained with increasing vigour before stopping yourself short. “Ah, I'm rambling about that again even though grandfather says I shouldn't...

               "Anyways!" you snapped back into confidence and startled the cat-person a little. “You shouldn't be taking fruit from here!  It's our business and less fruit means less money to get food for my family," you reprimanded the boy before you.  His posture was stiff at the treatment, but more so from the guilt that you could see reflected in his eyes rather than his previous apprehension.

               "I'm sorry..." he apologised once more.  When you saw the way the furred ears atop his head flatten against his hair along with his apology, there was no way you could still be the slightest bit upset with him.

               "Wow, Ane-ue!  You're scolding a cat-person!"

               Your head snapped to the side at the sound of the additional voice to find your little brother excitedly bouncing beside you.

               "Sou!  I told you stay inside, jeez," you chided the young boy, but he was too preoccupied with other matters to pay you any heed.

               "Hey, can I touch your tail?" your brother asked even though he was already reaching forwards.  The cat practically bristled in shock as he furiously shook his head in denial and backed away slightly from the oncoming threat that was a seven year old boy.

               "Aah, Sou, c'mon.  That's rude." You deftly pulled the child back by the nape of his faded blue kimono. “Although, for an abnormality, you're rather... docile, aren't you?" you prompted the entity.

               "Well, um, I don't really like fighting," he answered softly.  The male opened his mouth to say more, but—just as you caught the faint glint of white incisors that were far too long to be human—he then snapped his teeth together and let out a grating mix of a screech and a hiss from within his throat.  The entity's face scrunched up in an expression of pure torment and his entire body went rigid as if he was holding himself back from practically dropping incapacitated right then and there.

               "Whoa, it's super soft!"

               "Sou, no!  What are you doing!?"

               As innocent as only a small child could be, your little brother looked up at you from beside the entity without a hint of understanding for the situation.  Grasped within both of his small hands was a bristling mass of coffee-coloured fur.  The boy's chubby fingers kneaded at the appendage in his hold and harshly ran the feline's tail through his grip as he enjoyed the comfortable touch of the entity's sleek coat.  Sou, absolutely absorbed in the tail before him, shoved his face into the fluffy length.  You were frozen in shock until the chestnut-haired child opened his mouth and started to bring the captive tail towards his maw.

               "Sou!!" you screamed in near hysterics as you rushed forward and ripped the boy away from the cat-person. “I'm so sorry!  Oh gosh, really!  Are you okay?  D-Do you want anything for your tail?!"

               Despite your flustered worrying, the entity only replied with a short but furious shake of his head.  Having been released from Sou's overly dangerous clutches, the cat took a well-reasoned step back before setting about inspecting his abused attachment.  Thankfully, he showed no signs of finding any damage or cause for worry.  As the cat set about preening his ruffled fur, he kept shooting wary glances at your little brother.  Even though you kept the child anchored by his shoulders, the boy clearly wanted to keep playing and occasionally tried to move forward.  While the odd scene continued on, you could not hold back an amused giggle and the entity's gaze snapped towards you at the noise, an umber ear flicking curiously.

               "I've been told that entities used to be very violent and it was a very scary time, but you're really nice, huh?  You won't even get mad at my little brother after something like that." You offered an apologetic but grateful smile.  The brunet seemed a bit flustered at your actions and fidgeted slightly.  It was after a moment that an idea came to mind. “Ah, how about as an apology, we'll give you some apples!  You wanted some, didn't you?"

               The male visibly perked at your offer and stared at you with wide eyes. “Really?  Um, thank you...!"

               With that decided, you squeezed your brother's shoulders still within your grasp and shook him lightly for his attention. “All right, Sou, did you hear that?  Get some really good ones as an apology, okay?"

               After an encouraging pat to the back and an energetic "roger" from the boy, your brother dashed for the apple tree behind the still wary entity who shuffled out of the way.  In only a few quick leaps and pulls, Sou swiftly made his way up the sturdy trunk and into the lower level of winding branches.  You watched on proudly as the pale azure figure that was your brother nimbly flitted in and out of sight while easily climbing to the highest perches of the foliage.  Soon enough, a mess of sienna hair with more than a few leaves stuck amongst the locks popped out from the upper canopy of leaves.

               "Ane-ue!  I found them!" the boy called out from above.

               "Good job, Sou!  Now, just like we've practised!" you shouted back with your hands cupped around your mouth. “You should keep an eye out, too.  I can't guarantee I'll save them all," you addressed the cat watching the both of you with a blank face.  His ears flicked as a small but confused scowl creased his expression.

               "Incoming!!"

               Not a second was wasted before a red orb was lobbed into the air and arched towards your location.  Under the afternoon sun, the waxy fruit gave off a dull shrine.

               "Got it!" At that moment, you jumped slightly to the right and caught the thrown apple with both hands, the contact echoing slightly in the autumn air.

               "Nice receive!" Sou cheered from the treetop.

               "Here, hold this." You quickly warned the brunet standing around before you tossed him the ripe apple to carry. “Next!"

               "Roger!"

               For the next few minutes, you and Sou harvested ripened fruit in an unconventional manner akin to a child's game.  Pretty quickly, the tomcat near you was having a fair amount of trouble holding more than half a dozen of the edible orbs in his arms.  When you noticed his struggle, you called for your brother to return to the ground.  In less than a minute, all three of you were once more gathered under the orchard trees.  The cat-entity used his dark brown yukata to help cradle his reward and you grinned at his subtle, but definitely pleased, expression.

               "Ane-ue, how was that?" Sou pulled at your sleeve for your attention as he hopped in place excitedly.

               "A perfect job!  We didn't drop a single one," you congratulated the boy and he laughed happily with the praise.

               "Ah, um, thank you very much...!"

               When you looked back up to respond to the dark brunet, you were surprised to see a small smile curving his lips.  It was the first real shift in expression you had seen from him.

               "No problem!" You grinned back at the male and his own smile widened a bit more.

               He definitely looked good with a smile.

               "Hey, if you like our apples, will you come back and play with me?" Sou popped out from behind your sleeve and fervently questioned the entity.  The cat stiffened at the boy's question.

               "Well, um..."

               "If you happen to visit us, you can have some of our fruit whenever you come over," you offered as incentive.  The male's furry ears perked at the deal. “However," you spoke up once more, "in return, you'll spend some time with us.  How about it?"

               "Spend time?  Doing what?" he asked, but not in a manner that reflected any sort of distrust.

               "Well, obviously, Sou wants you to play with him." You laughed as you ruffled your brother's hair. “And, well, as for me... I want you to teach me."

               The cat cocked his head curiously.

               "You see, I've always wanted to know more about spirits and the like.  So, while you eat some of our apples or whatever fruit, we can maybe talk about the other world and stuff?" you asked with a hopeful furrow to your brow.  The cat's mouth pursed slightly as he took in your proposal.  His sepia-furred tail lashed behind him a couple of times as he seemed to mull over the deal before, for the first time since he fell out of the tree, his ochre gaze connected with yours.

               "Then, in that case, I'll start right now." A simple yet captivating smile curved his lips. “I'm not a 'cat-person'; I'm a Bakeneko and my name's Kenma."

               A couple of delayed seconds later, your laughter rang amongst the rustling leaves.

               "Kenma, huh?  That's not a very cat-like name, though, is it?" You shared a grin with Sou before you both turned to the Bakeneko and spoke in unison.

               "It's nice to meet you, Kenma!"

* * *

                _He was weak.  It was a simple fact and he fully acknowledged it.  That was the lot he was born with in his life and it was his job to simply make do with it.  Being weak was not a disadvantage, his companion would tell him, but it was a challenge and one he would definitely overcome.  That was what made him strong in his own right.  In the end, though, he would always be weak._

_He hated being weak._

_Being weak meant losing things.  One’s territory, possessions, respect, even family.  Being weak meant surviving through his losses while the strong survived by taking what they needed and simply wanted.  The weak learnt differently from the strong and they grew to be different from the strong._

_He found that being weak was not all that bad._

_When that girl smiled at him and thanked him with all her heart, he could feel his stomach flip.  He had saved them.  Even after the girl left, it happened again.  The older of the two thanked him once more and he could barely contain it; someone as weak as him had saved—not one, but—two people's lives.  Even as he admitted how much he lacked in the end, she had said it was okay.  She had not called him strong, but that it was okay he was weak.  It was because of that weakness he had saved her life._

_Lives are limited in their miracles, though.  Even if he saved her once, it was not as if he had saved her from everything.  It was not as if he could save her from everything.  No matter the determination or effort he scraped together for her sake, he was limited in what he could do._

_He was weak, so what he cared for was stolen and ripped away from him both then and before._

* * *

               The midmorning air was crisp and prickled the senses, but the hint of rain from the previous night that hung around managed to dampen the discomfort.  The sun was bright in the clear sky even if its light offered little warmth.  In the chill of another mid-autumn day, you were thankful for the warmth your clothes provided.

               "Well then, I'll be in town until about the sun sets.  You have everything to make dinner, right?" The question was accompanied by an old smile, obviously worn from a great amount of use, but hardly any dimmer than it was at its earliest beginnings.

               "Yup!  I'll take care of everything while you're gone, so don't worry ,Ojii-chan," you answered as cheerily as you could in the cold.  A grin, smaller and a little weak from your stubborn sleepiness, claimed your lips as reassurance to the old man in a maroon kimono.

               "Me too!  I won't cause Ane-ue any trouble, I promise!" Sou piped up from beside you.  Even with the low temperature and relatively early time, the child was a bouncing ball of energy and hardly seemed bothered by the weather.

               "Such promising kids!  I'll see you both later tonight then." With an affectionate pat to each of your heads and a worn chuckle of the aged, he left with a horse and cart filled to the brim with ripened produce.

               "Have a safe trip, Ojii-chan," the both of you called after your guardian with an arm each waving a temporary farewell.  As your grandfather steadily made his way down the dirt path to town, you and your brother continued to watch him until he disappeared behind one of the sloping hills.

               "Hey, Ane-ue," your brother piped up after a moment, "are we really not able to tell Ojii-chan about Onii-chan?  Ojii-chan and Onii-chan would get along, don't you think?"

               You knelt to Sou's level and gently held one his hands in both of yours.

               "Who knows, really.  From what I've heard, though, Ojii-chan comes from a time that was really scary.  It's not good to keep secrets, but we can't always have Ojii-chan worrying about us.  Give it some time and I'm sure you'll figure it out, you're my little brother after all!" With a cheery laugh, you ruffled the boy's hair and rose back to a stand.

               "I need to start getting lunch ready now, so is there anything you want?"

               "Karaage!!"

               You were not sure if your laughter was amused or dead at your brother's response.

               "Sou... this is the twelfth day in a row you've asked for chicken karaage."

               "Then karaage onigiri?"

               "Stuffing it in rice doesn't make it any different!"

               "Karaage... sounds really good in this weather, though."

               "Hyaaa!!"

               With that high-pitched mix of a shriek and a squeak, you grabbed your brother and instinctively shielded him while attempting to locate where the third opinion came from.  It was not too hard to spot the dark coffee-coloured ears poking out from over the edge of the roof above you.  The sound of rustling cloth was then followed by a familiar, inexpressive face and copper eyes that peered down at you from atop the thatch platform.

               "Kenma!" you exclaimed half in scolding and half in relief.

               "Kenma-oniichan!" Sou followed suit, though far more pleased and excited.

               "Morning," the Bakeneko greeted with a faint but friendly tilt to his lips.

               With pleasantries out of the way, the male nimbly hopped down from your home and came to stand with the two of you at the front entrance.  Your brother was quick to welcome the cat with an energetic hug.  Although Kenma had practically frozen in shock the first time Sou tackled him as a form of hello, the entity had gotten used to your brother's habits with time and even patted his hair in return these days.  The male was still not overly comfortable with the attention the young boy liked to give his furred tail and ears, but Sou had at least learnt to handle the entity much more gently than during their first meeting.

               Over a month had passed since the day the cat had suddenly appeared in the orchard trees.  Perhaps he just really liked the apples or maybe he was a little lonely, but the brunet had come to visit your home nearly daily since then.  It was a little troubling at first, what with how he would drop in at nearly any time he so happened to arrive and managed to do so without alerting either of you at all.  Soon enough, however, you came to expect Kenma's drop-ins and you were always eager for the stories and trivia he would provide you with.  You could ask practically anything and the Bakeneko always seemed to have some sort of response.  Sometimes he would get sidetracked or lose coherency in his explanations, but it made the experience all the more enjoyable.  There was something about his clumsy way of socialising that was endearing.

               After calming Sou down and getting coerced by two pouting boys to cook karaage for another day to add to the somewhat sickening streak, you were outside and enjoying the rare afternoon warmth near the orchard plantation.  A basket of mixed plums and apples lay between yourself and Kenma as you chatted the time away.  It had started with an explanation of how transformations by many of the supernatural species worked which led to something or another and, without either of you realising it, there was nothing but amiable chatter being passed back and forth.  A funny tale or an old memory, it was all in comfortable idleness.

               "Kenma."

               For peace to begin, though, also meant it had an end.

               "K-Kuro..."

               After processing the sudden and quick exchange, you glanced over in the direction of the new voice.  There was deep rumble, like a dangerous growl, to the single call of your friend's name and the new arrival's appearance did not help calm your sense of unease.  Ruffled and unkempt inky-black hair rose from his head without much care save for the portion that fell over about half of his face.  Vaguely, you could make out triangular ears with the same dark coat among his messy locks.  A piercing amber gaze stared down at the both of you as you sat on the ground.  Perhaps it was your lowered position, but the new male just seemed so tall that you were greatly intimidated by him.  He was loosely dressed in a simple red and grey yukata with an orange obi sash and the edges of a tattoo in the same colour along the left-hand side of his torso caught your eye for a moment.  From under the crimson cloth, a tail with fur as black as his hair lashed about.

               "I was wondering where you disappeared to so often"—his pupils thinned into slivers as he eyed you harshly and you had to hold back a flinch at the stare—"but I see you've made yourself quite comfortable."

               When you glanced over at your brunet friend, he looked just as defeated and apprehensive as you felt.  A part of you, at seeing the male so pitiful under his acquaintance's influence, wanted to speak up, but the new Bakeneko beat you to it.

               "I told you we needed to leave today if we wanted to make it in time to visit Yaku," the ink-haired male reprimanded with a weary sigh. “Let's go." The cat spared you one more glance, but this one felt less threatening and almost somewhat pitying.  There was little time to pick his expression apart, though, so it may have simply been your imagination.

               "Sorry, Kuro," your friend apologised as he brought himself to his feet. “Um, I'm also sorry-" Kenma started to address you, but you quickly stood and dumped the remaining fruit from the basket in his arms.

               "Here.  Take it for the road, wherever you're going," you answered his surprised expression as cheerily as you could. “Hopefully you'll come back at the right time for the other fruit.  We'll have some really good persimmons soon!"

               "Th-Thank you...!" he accepted with a flustered flick of his ears.  You had never mentioned it before since you thought he would become conscious of the fact, but you could tell he was embarrassed by the rosy hue that tinted his more human ears.  It was another quirk of his that you found loveable.

               "Kenma!"

               At the impatient call of his name, the brunet jumped slightly.  He glanced over at his companion before the Bakeneko turned back to you.

               "I'll come back as soon as I can."

               The emotions reflected in his ochre irises told you that he really would try.

               "Mhm, I'll be waiting."

               You reassured the male with a grin before you sent him off with a small wave.

               After one more faint smile, Kenma dashed off to join up with the other entity.  Without waiting for the smaller male to fully catch up, Kuroo headed off past the orchards and into the forest that lay beyond them.  The two Bakeneko were well out of sight by the time the brunet managed to fall into step beside his companion.  A couple moments of silence passed between them before the ink-haired cat let out a frustrated sigh.

               "Just what the hell are you doing, Kenma?" Neither aberration broke stride at the heavy question or even glanced at one another.

               "She's nice, Kuro," the other male argued feebly.

               "That's exactly why I'm asking," Kuroo replied with an exasperated breath. “We may have this new system, but that doesn't mean we can't eat.  It's become a sport and a game now, and you know one demon only attracts others." The dark-furred Bakeneko's words were not meant to threaten his friend, but the implications were still harsh and undeniable.

               Kenma could distinctly feel the tips of his canines press against gums as his jaw clenched.

               "I warned you, all right?" the taller male pointedly remarked at his companion's silence.  With nothing more to say, Kuroo plucked a dull red apple from bundle of fruits that the smaller brunet still carried.

               "Kuro!" Umber tail lashed and furred ears flatted back as Kenma finally turned to give the other cat an annoyed glare.

               "It's my payment for being a good friend." The ink-haired male chortled as he playfully tossed the ripe fruit in one hand before taking a satisfied bite with a teasing grin.  After a moment, the Bakeneko paused in his chewing to stare at the apple in surprise. “Whoa, these are really good."

               "I don't know if we qualify for a friendship," the brunet muttered as he irritably eyed the stolen fruit his companion seemed to be enjoying.  The entity could not help the annoyed click of his tongue at the sight.

               "So cold, Kenma.  After all I've done for you?" the ink-haired cat implored with a false breathlessness of disbelief.

               "Not worth my apples," the slim Bakeneko quipped in return.

               Kuroo's baritone laugh could be heard ringing a fair distance from within the yellowing forest.

* * *

                _It had happened again.  It was happening all over again.  Each and every time he gave himself a chance, it would end up like this._

_Not again._

_He refused to let it happen again.  If there was something he could do this time, he would do it and anything else.  Once was a fall, but twice would be choosing not to get up._

_He only realised too late that his efforts made no difference in the end result._

* * *

               It felt as if his feet could not move him fast enough.  The wilting forest around him was nothing but a smeared image in the corner of his vision.  What mattered was when those familiar rows and columns of carefully planted trees and shrubbery came into view.  If one took in the whole orchard from one side all the way down to the other, an obvious pattern in vegetative life cycles could be seen in the fruit-bearing plants.  With the onset of the latter half of autumn, over half of the greenery was reduced to bare branches and empty foliage.  A scarce third or less of the trees and bushes still bore leaves, and about half of those, still, were shrivelled and ready to shed at a moment's notice.  Only the hardy winter species seemed to remain in activity with the occasional orange or yellow produce dotting their leafy coats.

               Kenma could feel his lips pull into an excited smile at the familiar sight spread before him and his heart beat with matched fervour.  Impatience taking hold, the Bakeneko managed to clear the last stretch within a few energised bounds.  When he landed at the edge of orchard and the familiar thatch-roofed home loomed before him, the male had to quell his desire to call out for someone's attention.  He was conscious of how unlike him this anticipation and vigour was, but he could not dictate his emotions.  The truth was, Kenma was ecstatic to be back, and he was fine with that.

               Making sure not to be spotted in case someone uninvolved was around, the cat crept under the orchard-facing back window and slowly pried the thatch cover open so he could peek through.  Strangely enough, despite the midday hour, there was not a single source of light within the house.  As easily as the Bakeneko could see within the darkness, he still could not find a hint of any occupants.  A little miffed and rather perturbed, the male let the window hatch softly close and backed away from the house.  Perhaps he was truly losing himself over his desire to see his companions, but Kenma decided to try entering through the front and searching the small building from there.  When he rounded over to the main entrance, the brunet could not help but notice that the wooden door seemed slightly crooked.  He shook off the small discrepancy, however, and silently entered the house.

               It was almost pitch black.

               Save for the dimmest of slivers that glowed faintly from the edges of the closed door and windows, there was no light anywhere inside.  The building felt cold and the cat at first thought he was in a completely different home.  Even in the darkness, however, Kenma could still see the small kitchen where warm meals would usually come from.  The same iron cast used for the less common stew or hot pot still hung in the centre of the main room.  It was when he stepped into the spare back room with the window that overlooked the orchard that Kenma realised exactly what was wrong.

               It was concentrated and bitter.  The scent was not particularly sharp nor did it quite assault his senses, but once it became potent enough to be noticed, its stench would not release him and the male screwed his eyes shut in response.  There was the faintness of time having passed and the source turning stale, but the heaviness of the fumes meant it was abundant and concentrated within the room.  Whatever the source was, it had festered in this place for more than just a couple of hours.  As the noxious cloud slowly, but thoroughly, blanketed his airway, it left a strangely salty hint at the back of Kenma's throat and even seemed to leave the slightest bit of grit behind.  It felt like he was drowning in the rotten odour and tears sprung to his eyes as he reflexively coughed.  The action, however, only led for the brunet to inhale more of the rancid smell.

               Completely unable to last another second in the putrid conditions, the cat rushed towards the dim outline of the window and threw it open.  He choked as he greedily sucked in the fresh air of the outside and let his head hang there for a few moments despite the chill.  After propping up the thatch cover to stay open, the entity turned back to finally take a gander at the strangely noxious room.  As if the dull wood of the house—from the walls to the flooring to even the ceiling as long as it included every nook and cranny—were a canvas, it had been painted over in an astounding mural of burgundy wash.

               Crusted and definitely not fresh, splattered blood stained the homely structure in a grotesque form and quantity.

               "Wh-What...?" Kenma choked once more as he breathed in the musty remnants of whatever had taken place in the room.  The walls were warped and splintered from some sort of high impact while various wooden chips and chunks were littered across the floor.  Worst was the sign of utter carnage that stained it all.  Even as he closed his eyes and reopened them, the scene remained intact.  The sprays of maroon and carnelian hues were soaked into the old wood and would not disappear so easily.

               The Bakeneko was forced to bring a hand to his mouth lest he let himself empty his stomach.  He could already taste the bile beginning to rise within his throat.

               So absorbed in the shock of the discovery, the brunet failed to notice the obvious footsteps of another presence approaching the backroom until a gruff voice shouted for the cat's attention, "I knew you would return, vile creature!"

               The slim male immediately snapped to attention to see a somewhat pot-bellied man in dirty robes resembling something akin to a monk having burst into the back room.  The man held aloft some sort of chipped and grimy bronze pendant as he much too theatrically continued to bellow.

               "Repent for your wretched transgressions against an innocent family!"

               Interjections and refutes to the man's claims spluttered from the tip of Kenma's tongue, but the jumbled words went unheard.  The monk's chants and incantations echoed within the enclosed space and drowned out the cat's own thoughts.  As the string of prayers continued, a dull light began to emanate from the man's pendant.  The brunet could not clearly process the situation through his shock and stress, but for a moment he thought, maybe he could see their happy smiles again if he joined them in the same place.  That sort of outcome worked just fine.

               "Kenma!!"

               As the murky light peaked and flashed orange, a heavy weight bowled into the Bakeneko from behind and sent him tumbling across the floor only to slam into the opposite wall.  When the brunet glanced back at where he last stood, a large ring was burnt into the wood and the edge of the window had started to crumble into charred dust.

               "Kenma, let's go!" a voice harshly commanded as they roughly pulled the male to his feet.  Red and black made up the most of the cat's blurred vision as he was forced to move.

               "K-Kuro?"

               "So there were two of you foul demons!"

               The ink-haired entity let out an annoyed hiss as the monk begun reciting his mantras once more and the amulet started to faintly glow.  With no grace to spare, the taller male grabbed his friend by the back of his obi and practically hurled Kenma halfway out of the window across from them.

               "Hurry up and get out!!" Kuroo ordered as he flung some stray wood chips near the human's face.

               "Wait a-!" Distracted out of his incantations, the light around the monk's pendant dimmed out of existence and he cursed under his breath.

               Having followed the other Bakeneko's orders, Kenma took the momentary distraction to slip all the way through the opening and back outside.  Within a few seconds, his dark-furred friend leapt through the window space and landed on the dirt ground as well.

               "We have to keep moving, c'mon!" The taller cat barely spared a glance back at the other entity before kicking off in a run into the orchard and towards the forest.  The brunet quickly followed suit.

               It normally took all he had for Kenma to even keep Kuroo within sight when they were running.  Usually, the smaller cat would whine and barely put any effort into his footfalls.  There was not even that much of a difference between his regular and top speed anyways.  Yet, as he sprinted past the fruit trees and into the wilder vegetation, the entity could barely feel his soles and wooden geta pushing against the soft ground of the woods.  The flashy red yukata of his childhood friend never pulled away like it usually would.  There was not even the common burn in his legs from the high exertion his muscles were mostly unused to.  Everything from his legs to the rest of his body to his mind was simply numb.  By the time his overly dull senses could make sense of the situation, the two males had stopped in a small forest clearing and both were gasping for air.  When Kenma desperately sucked in a single breath, however, he felt his stomach lurch and twist so profoundly that he barely managed to make it to his hands and knees before the bile rose from its pit.  Coughing against the scratchy burn in his throat, the brunet tried his best to take in the oxygen he needed before his light-headedness turned into something worse.

               Still crouched amongst the wild grass, a large hand came to rest against the small male's back and helped to support his shaking body.  Kenma jumped slightly at the contact, but calmed as soon as he remembered who was with him.

               "I should have reached you earlier..." Kuroo murmured bitterly as he shifted his friend away from his earlier retch.  The two sat next to one another at the edge of the clearing as the red-robed cat helped his friend regain himself and kept a comforting hand against the other’s hunched shoulders.

               "Wh-What...?" the other entity half choked out in reply as he turned to face his companion.  The male paused for a moment at the inquiry before taking a slow breath.

               "Back in the forest, after you ran ahead, I passed some other demons," the dark-haired cat started to explain. “They were laughing about a fun hunt from a couple days ago," he repressed a growl, but still clicked his tongue as he recalled what he had heard.

               "The old man who couldn't protect the children."

               Aged and brittle was what Kenma could recall.  Hands that were worn from working and not fighting.  The warm smile that only the elderly knew how to smile that he always gave his grandchildren before leaving for the town.

               "A girl who sacrificed herself to let her younger brother escape."

               Strong and confident was what he believed she was.  Perhaps a little naive and foolish, but it was that innocence that gave Kenma the chance to meet and get to know those people.  It was that brightness that drew him back every time.

               "The boy who ran but couldn't run fast enough."

               He would admit to being a little afraid at first.  A small boy that seemed more fit to be an entity than he did, but shared that same light that the rest of his family possessed.  It was the first time Kenma knew what it was like to play around like a kid.

               "They were so far out from the village-"

               "Shut up!!"

               The sudden yell caused Kuroo to startle slightly.  The ink-haired cat had never heard his childhood companion raise his voice to such an extent—if he even ever did at all—and his brow creased at the obvious grief in the brunet's voice.  Curled over himself, the shorter male was trembling and had his head bowed with palms pressed against his ears.  Kenma's shoulders hitched slightly every few moments, and the dark-furred Bakeneko could only grit his teeth at the display.

               "Kenma..." he tried to speak once more, but before any words of conciliation could even form in his mind, his friend continued to cry out.

               "It's my fault...!" the hunched over entity sobbed into his knees. “For going there so much!  For accepting her offer!  Why did I ever try to take those apples?!"

               Something within Kuroo snapped.  Without much thought, the hand that rested against his friend's back fisted into his sepia clothes and wrenched the smaller boy into an embrace.  Even as his friend's hands quickly dug into the ink-haired male's clothes, the trembling and curses did not stop.

               "I'm so weak!  Why did I think it would be okay?  I can't protect myself, let alone anyone else...!"

               In the muffled world of the forest, soft sobs mixed in with the usual afternoon chirping of the sparse winter birds and died off along with the sun’s light.

* * *

                _The chill in the air was familiar to him.  Up above the usual roads and watching the sun set against the urban roofs, the feeling of autumn would never change for him no matter how much time passed.  Even if he lived far away from any of the usual methods to track the days and time, he could easily guess the date within reason based on the cold touch of the weather._

_The icy burn he felt that day was something he would never forget._

_As the sky bled hues of cadmium and lilac, he heard a call of his name from down below.  Overly chipper and lyrical, the voice that wanted his attention was not any of the ones he wanted to hear most.  He only ever went by one name his whole life, but every person said it differently and he could tell who was there any instance after the first time his name passed their lips._

_His heart twisted itself apart when something within scornfully reminded him of the unique names he would never hear again._

_Not wanting his new companions to start a fuss over his slack response, he shuffled off the edge of his perch and landed in front of the other two males.  They were both taller than him, yet shorter than the friend he knew the longest.  The taller of the two handed him a paper bag with a small whine of how the contents was already cold what with his low-tension speed.  He did not particularly mind, but as he pulled out the fish-shaped treat he had been gifted, he would have agreed that taiyaki tasted better when fresh and warm._

_As he mumbled his thanks and took a contented bite of the treat, the other male reprimanded the taller boy for his behaviour.  While he watched the two mock-fight for a bit, he could not help but wonder how it was when she was with them as well.  She certainly did seem the type to join in, whether it would be on the side of the childish male or the irritable friend.  By the time the two settled down, he had managed to nibble through half of his snack._

_Really, taiyaki was much better when warm._

_Another call of his name brought him out of his musings and he turned to the slightly shorter of the two males.  There was an exchange of polite "how do's" and the like before the taller boy started up some trivial talk of what had happened since or such.  It may have been pointless conversation, but he would admit to enjoying the meaningless fluff.  He appreciated the effort that the two put into keeping in contact with him and keeping his head above the drowning point._

_Even though their words and smiles always tried to hide the same loss and pain that he carried._

_It would be a matter of time, though, he supposed.  They had been given an explanation by a white-feathered entity from the upper ranks of that world and they had no choice but to accept the situation in the end.  If she had given her life so that they could live theirs, then they would live to the absolute fullest for her sake at least.  Even if his friend's choice to leave them behind as well had not been necessary, he could somewhat understand.  It was not something that he could put into words, but just a feeling that knocked around inside his chest whenever he thought about it.  Before he could mull over the thought more, however, the simultaneous call of his name brought his attention back to reality and the other two males stood before him with worry etched into their expressions.  He quickly reassured them that he was fine.  Though they were not entirely convinced—it was obvious what he had been thinking of, but they also understood—they did not press him.  Instead, the more gregarious of the two invited him over.  It was getting colder and neither of them wanted him staying out, entity or not.  Having finished his treat while lost in thought, he crumpled the paper wrapper and tossed it in a nearby bin as he delayed his answer.  Arguing would have required far too much effort, so he clumsily accepted the offer in the end.  The two boys grinned and started back for their homes, telling him to hurry along with them._

_As he jogged to catch up, he could feel the familiar chill of the autumn air and he had a passing thought._

_"Maybe this cold wind that always blew during those moments was trying to comfort me."  
_

* * *

_-Be wary of the hand that offers to pull you out of despair_

_It may be pulled into the pit in your stead-_


End file.
